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Tathurkeskal
Tathurkeskal (also known as Scribedshot) is a dwarven mountain hall, and the capital of the civilization "The Responsible Outrageous Fences". It is notable for being one of the few places in West Everoc to be founded before The Obsidianizing, the seat of the currently reigning monarchy, and the point of origin for many Spearbreakers inhabitants. It is the head of commerce and industry as well, and the headquarters for the dwarven military forces. Description Tathurkeskal is located in the southern portion of The Amber Barb. Its exact location is unknown, although it is not kept a secret by the dwarves themselves. A subterranean river runs through the center of the mountainhall, although it is too swift and shallow to be used as a form of transportation. This river exits through the entrance to the city, and bridges are built over it in many places. In later years, a secondary channel would be carved to lead through the lower areas of the mountainhall and directly into the caverns, to serve as a source of drinking water. To date, no one at Tathurkeskal has died of thirst. Tathurkeskal is renowned for its architectural design and stylish artwork and engravings. The columns within its great halls are artfully carved, and seem to portray a feeling of grandeur and importance that seems unfitting of the actual state of the city. The upper halls of Tathurkeskal are largely abandoned, giving the appearance of a "ghost town". While occasionally patrolled by military, they serve as either stockpiles for supplies such as lumber and stone, or are simply forgotten. The barracks and combat arena, once magnificent monuments to dwarvenkind, are excellent examples of this, as they lie dusty and forgotten by all but children. Composition of Citizenry The composition of the citizenry in Tathurkeskal is primarily dwarves, although there are also a decent number of humans and Mountain Barbarians residing there. There are no goblins taking up occupancy of any sort, as they're looked upon as a threat to the welfare of the mountain hall. Ever since its founding, a great many abductions have occurred at Tathurkeskal on an almost regular basis, all due to roving goblin bands. Over the years, a great number of non-dwarven sentients have migrated to Tathurkeskal. Humans began migrating to the mountain hall starting around the year 25 PS. Mountain Barbarians began migrating as late as 100, and Elven migrations, although rare, did not begin until around 130. Skulkers are infrequently spotted, as frequent food shortages have made the mountainhall an inhospitable place for homeless citizens. Important Events While Tathurkeskal has had, hitherto, a reasonably quiet existence, there have been a number of events that stand out in its history and are repeated as lore and legend to travelers and passersby. The Turnings Beginning around the year 75 PS, following a Holistic Spawn attack, a good number of dwarves began turning into Holistic Spawn. These "turnings" continued for almost thirty years, before they were finally quelled. It is known that these turned dwarves were not immediately killed or exiled, and a good number of them die during attacks from night creatures and minotaurs. It is also worth noting that Mountain Barbarians also seemed to comprise part of this "condemned army", as a good number of them are killed during these frequent raids. It is thought that these Spawn were not nearly as much of a threat as those dwelling in the Blood Plains, and were treated as such. These Precursor Spawn were far weaker, and known for being slow enough for an adept soldier to take on several at once, while in a martial trance. Urist Okablokum is a decent example of this, although he never resided at Tathurkeskal himself. The Food Shortage In the year 133 PS, there was a horrible shortage of food at Tathurkeskal, due in part to the increased raids by night creatures and minotaurs. The frightened inhabitants remained in the darker areas of the mountain halls where it was safer, as the military was in a decrepit state, and too feeble to provide any reasonable defense. In their panic and haste, many of the farm animals were left above and subsequently devoured by wild animals, and in addition, access was cut off to the farms. These attacks continued to occur with regularity until 136, when the dwarves managed to regain the rest of Tathurkeskal. Unfortunately, the food shortage has persisted even to the present day. The Attacks From 164 to 168 PS, a terrible number of gloom trolls attacked Tathurkeskal with alarming regularity. This started a second shortage of food, and over five hundred inhabitants died from the famine. During this time, Elves came to be seen as a threat to the livelihood of the fortress, as the merchant caravans began displaying an assumed appearance of superiority to the dwarves. All elves were quickly exiled, and a decent number were publicly starved to death, as a sort of warning to any others that might follow in their footsteps. This was not the beginning of the deep-seated hatred between dwarves and elves, but it served to fuel the flames. Notable Inhabitants *Monom Knifeclimates, Dwarven Necromancer *Vanya Carena, elven skulker *Salaia Carena, elven skulker Category:Places